Innovative Microwave Interconnect Assembly For High Speed GaAs Photonic Modulators

aXenic是一家为光纤模拟无线电和数字光通信市场提供高速GaAs光子调制器的无晶圆厂设计和制造商，目前正在与为微电子和光电设备提供合同封装设计和组装服务的Optocap合作，开发一种用于微波连接到芯片的创新工艺。对宽带服务的日益增长的需求和受管制的无线电频谱上日益增加的拥塞正在推动光子学向无线竞技场的更大渗透。具有高带宽的线性光调制器将RF信号精确地传输到光纤上。由于与芯片的连接会产生过多的RF损耗，我们目前这一代调制器的带宽受到限制。该项目的目标是实现低损耗、机械稳定、可再现的连接，以达到下一代产品的更高带宽。通过3D电磁建模优化的微波互连的尺寸将被仔细控制，以实现阻抗、插入损耗和回波损耗的期望值。Optocap将开发一种新的工艺来形成和连接RF连接器引脚到平面电路。这一过程将提供给更广泛的化合物半导体社区。

aXenic, a fabless design and manufacturer of high speed GaAs photonic modulators for the analogue radio over fibre and digital optical communications markets, is collaborating with Optocap, a provider of contract package design and assembly services for microelectronic and optoelectronic devices, to develop a new and innovative process for the microwave connection to the chip. Increasing demand for broadband services and increasing congestion on regulated radio spectrum is driving greater penetration of photonics into the wireless arena. A linear optical modulator with high bandwidth accurately transfers the RF signal onto optical fibre. Our current generation of modulators are limited in bandwidth due to the excess RF loss of the connection to the chip. The aim of this project is to realise a low loss, mechanically stable, reproducible connection to reach higher bandwidths for the next generation products. The dimensions of the microwave interconnect, optimised by 3D electromagnetic modelling, will be carefully controlled to realise the desired values of impedance, insertion loss and return loss. Optocap will develop a novel process to form & join the RF connector pin to the planar circuit. This process will be made available to the wider compound semiconductor community.